


No More Astound

by astrhobi (orphan_account)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-20
Updated: 2016-04-03
Packaged: 2018-05-21 23:19:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6061876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/astrhobi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a kingdom ruled by the House of Black, peasants and those of common status are treated with an increasingly poor level of respect. By act of chance alone, two members of the royal family find themselves in the company of commoners. They are forced to face the choice of the royal world: to betray your family or betray your friends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Strange Beginning

    In a small town on the edge of a village in an old kingdom, a man stood with his back to the setting sun plotting the best way to dig a hole. Now, don’t get me wrong, he definitely knew  _ how  _ to dig hole, his only issue was as to  _ where.  _ Eventually, after some time of contemplation, he settled on digging in the shade of a tired willow. 

Mr Lupin was a man of simple pleasures. He liked gardening, reading, keeping up with his inn, and - on the not-so rare occasion - magic. He had a lot on his plate these days, but he seemed to be happy about it. Between tending to his garden and keeping up with each new tenant, he rarely had any time to relax, and, though it may not seem relaxing, digging this hole was the first moment alone Mr Lupin had stolen all week. He dug with deep determination, using his old shovel to measure the depth of the hole. When the walls of the hole where taller than the shovel’s length, he reached up and began climbing onto the ground above.

Standing up - after fruitlessly attempting to wipe off his mud-soaked clothes -  Remus Lupin stretched his arms to the sky before reaching for a small box to his left. He lowered the box into the hole and began to shovel dirt over the homemade coffin.

Now, this may have looked very strange to some people, and most would be inclined to either tell the royal authorities or pretend they never saw Mr Remus John Lupin lower a coffin into a self-dug grave in the woods next to his inn. However, Remus was not one to cause suspicion, and most people don’t venture into the woods for fear of the supernatural.

When Remus had finally patted the last of the dirt onto the grave, he lifted an old stone and placed it at the top of the patch of tilled earth. He sighed, stopping to stare at the gravestone. “Goodbye, little lark,” he whispered, turning away from the grave and beginning his walk back to the inn.

The lark had been hurt when Remus found it on the grounds of the inn ereyeterday morning. He had attempted to nurse it back to health, but to no avail. It had passed the next night, and he had then begun plans to honor the poor little creature.

Remus stepped out of the humid, late-summer air and through the back door of his inn, slipping off his muddy coat and heading into the main entrance room. He was just about to check the letters awaiting him when a slender woman walked through the inn’s door.

“Well, Remus, I added ginger and mint to Molly Weasley’s tea and her morning sickness has been subdued! She thanked me a bit too much - that poor woman is desperate for relief, bless her soul.”

Lily Evans was a fiery source of affection and adventure in Remus’ life, her red hair and always-mischievous, freckled face perfect for disguising a warm and loving personality. “I’m glad Molly’s sickness is easing its grip,” Remus said, handing Lily half of the letters to the inn, “Now make yourself useful and help me.”

Lily smiled at his humor and started wordlessly flipping through royal notices and messages from people from far off villages asking for Remus’ presence. After most of the messages had been discarded, Lily sighed and turned towards Remus. “Did you hear about Narcissa Black?” she asked, her eyes glancing over a particularly old-looking piece of parchment.

“The King’s niece?” Remus asked.

“Yes, of course, who else?”

“Fair enough. To answer your question, no, I haven’t heard anything. Has something bad happened to her?”

“Unfortunately, no, but she is to be married.”

Remus paused. “She was engaged in courtship?”

Lily laughed, stacking the messages into a neat pile. “Apparently so.” She handed the parchment to Remus, then, pulling off her worn bag from around her shoulders, took out a new, clean piece of parchment and placed it on the table. “Also,” she said, motioning to the parchment, “I received this from a royal guard this morning.”

Hesitant, Remus picked up the parchment. The first thing he noticed was the elegant handwriting in rich black ink sweeping across the top of the page. “To Ms Evans,” Remus read aloud, “We formally request your presence by the castle gate at dawn tomorrow. Our dearest Narcissa has fallen into sleepless nightly insomnia. You will bring with you a sleeping draught to ease her nerves. We hope you do your reputation justice. Signed, Duchess Druella Black.” Remus paused in surprise. “Wow.”

“Exactly,” Lily said in return, placing the parchment back into her bag, “I didn’t realize I was important enough to attract royal attention.”

“Of course you are,” Remus scoffed, “you’re the best healer in the entire kingdom, let alone the royal village. Although that letter did seem a tad bit threatening.”

Lily laughed, her head thrown back. “I know! I thought at first it was a death summoning.” She yawned, stretching her arms above her head. “I’m sleeping here tonight. You’re the only person I know who will wake up before dawn and I’m afraid that my life will be in danger if I oversleep.”

Remus huffed an exaggerated sigh. “I  _ suppose  _ you can stay,” Remus posed as Lily laughed, “but your usual room is currently occupied.”

“Blasphemy!” Lily gasped, her face mocking offense, “Who on earth could be important enough to take my room?”

“First off, it’s my inn, so it’s my room. Second, it’s free, so don’t complain. Third, it’s our old friend Royal. He’s passing through to deliver a package to the royal family’s governess.”

“Royal? Royal as in Kingsley Shacklebolt? He’s here in the village?”

“It’s funny, I thought I had just explained that to you.”

“Shut your unholy mouth, Remus.”

“Whatever you say, Lily. Anyway, he wants to see you. He says that he, and I quote, ‘misses your smartass mouth.’”

She laughed again at that, letting her hands fall onto the table in surprise. “Of course he does,” she sighed, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “Alright, show me to my new room.”

Remus stood from his chair and waited for Lily to follow. He showed her up the staircase and into the left guest hallway. “Here’s an open one,” Remus said, stepping ahead to open the door, “I hope it suits your oh-so-important needs.”

“Shut it, Lupin. Goodnight.”

“Night, Lily.”

Remus sluggishly pulled his tired feet across the second floor, yawning as he made his way down the stairs. He stumbled his way into the back hallway of the inn, mindlessly following the twists and turns until he got to his personal quarters. He quickly changed out of his mud-drenched clothes and put on the softest material he could find, desperate to catch at least an hour of restless sleep.

Setting his head onto his pillow, Remus tried to calm his mind as it raced with plans for tomorrow, worries, and ideas. Thoughts of Kingsley and Lily, money for the inn, the royal family, and monstrous creatures in the deep wood raged through his mind, burning bright images into his painful consciousness to prevent him from collecting the sweet nectar of sleep. Bright moons seared holes in his eyelids as Lily walked in his mind, picking herbs along the dirt road she traveled. Kingsley followed close behind, telling tales of far-off, foreign kingdoms. Remus wanted to follow them into his mind, escape the fatigue that pulled on his bones, but he was reduced to watching from the sidelines. At the end of the dirt road stood Duchess Druella, opening her arms wide to accept Remus’ friends into a loving embrace. Lily, eyes bright, lept into the woman’s elegant arms, accepting the comfortable affection. Lily’s hair, bright as a fire in winter snow, turned then a deeper red, a dark liquid dripping down her forehead and into her eyes. As suddenly as the image had appeared, the women vanished, leaving behind a growling wolf and a mangled corpse. Blood dripped from the creature’s mouth, its eyes wild with hunger and rage. With a blood-curdling growl, the creature leapt onto Remus, clawing through his eyes and attempting to make its way into reality.

Remus sprung upright, sitting awake in a pool of sweat. The moon was high in the sky outside his window and he assumed he’d been asleep for hours. Sleep didn’t come easily for him, and the nightly terrors that took over his dreams often pushed the idea of a restful night even further from his grasp. 

Remus reached into a small desk beside his bed, rummaging around until he found a bottle of misty liquid, downing it in one swallow. Closing his eyes and letting his head fall back onto his pillow, Remus sighed a sigh of painful relief. As his breathing slowed he thought of bright things: the sun on his back, warm pumpkin juice, and the happy eyes of his parents from years before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scary! I'm feeling very anxious to post the first chapter of this story, which has been itching in the back of my mind for quite a while now. I hope you guys like it! If you have questions or comments feel free to contact me here or on my tumblr @princemoony!


	2. Unhooking the Stars

    Remus opened the windows of the kitchen, letting the misty morning air float into the room. The chill was crisp and fog had settled its way onto the ground below. The moon still shone in the dark sky, and though it was close to dawn, the stars seemed to have been blown out to create an ink black canvas behind the clouds. Remus picked up a chipped bowl and what looked like a small, smooth branch and set to work. Making meals for every person in the inn was time consuming, but nothing that a few enchantments couldn’t assist.

    As soon as the grain-and-water-filled bowl was placed over the fire, Remus made his way up to the second floor of the inn, careful to tread lightly as not to wake up any guests. He knocked on Lily’s door, which opened immediately, revealing a disheveled-looking Lily clutching her bag in her hands.

    Remus, taken aback at her unusual appearance, placed a hand on her trembling shoulder. “Lily,” he whispered, trying to understand her strange expression, “are you alright?”

    “Yes, of course,” she replied, though her voice seemed to betray her. She took a deep breath, shaking as the air escaped her lungs. Sighing, she added, “I guess I came to the realization that I’ve never been in royal company. Add that to the notion that they can very well kill me if I mess anything up. Which, I mean, is simply terrific.”

    Remus sighed. She was speaking a painful truth; the Black House was picky and precise in their needs. Unsure of what to do, Remus pulled Lily into a tight hug.

    “Listen,” he spoke softly, “you are the best healer in the world. You can do this.”

    “Thanks, Remus.”

    The two stepped quietly back through the inn, eventually walking through the back door and into the darkness, accompanied only by the stars, a cup of honey and porridge, a flask of water, and a walking stick Remus had grabbed on the way out. They began their journey through the edge of the woods, following a small beaten trail lit by the dim light from a small branch Lily had pulled from her bag. The pair made their way into the village with a quiet understanding. Remus silently reassured Lily with his presence, and Lily’s steady breathing as they traveled made Remus feel less distant from his own life than he did normally.

    The sky was only just beginning to show a golden tinge of light as Remus and Lily approached the gates of the royal family. Tiny lights were beginning to appear in houses across the village, signs of day appearing like new stars as each family began waking to start their jobs. Lily, face flushed, took one last swig from Remus’ flask before turning to face him.

    “Remember, Lily,” Remus insisted quietly, as if afraid that the people inside the castle may hear, “you are the best person they could think of to do this. Even if they won’t admit it themselves, you must remember that they need you. You will be absolutely fine. I’ll see you tomorrow if I don’t see you tonight.” Remus hooked the flask to a strip of fabric around his waist and handed the rest of the porridge to Lily. She took the food, placing it in her bag with the now-dim branch.

    “Thank you, Remus. I’ll tell you everything when I return.” She gave him one last smile, and they parted ways.

    Remus took tired steps towards the edge of the village, stopping to look back at the royal gates. From a distance the castle looked blurry and small, but he could see enough to know that Lily had made it inside. Smiling to himself, he stepped through the trees and continued home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is very short, but I've been in a bit of a writing slump lately. This section didn't fit in chapter 1 or chapter 3, so it had to be done separately, no matter how short. Also, the chapter title is a reference to Victor Hugo, one of my favorite authors, though he doesn't exist in this story. You can contact me here or on my tumblr @princemoony! I hope you enjoy this tiny section, a longer chapter will appear soon!!


	3. Watch and Point

    “You must be Ms Evans.”

    Lily clutched her worn bag with shaking hands. She surveyed the man before her, eyeing his slightly disheveled look and the sword at his side. He was armed, but he was relaxed. She decided that she could  _ probably  _ trust him. Squaring her shoulders, she replied with a simple “yes.”

    “Welcome to the castle, if you’re one of the people who like to call it that. The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, the Royal Palace, the Royal Castle: no matter the name, the place is the same. I’m Tonks.”

    “Tonks?” Lily raised a brow, “I was told Duchess Druella Black would be meeting me. Are you a relative?”

    Tonks laughed, letting his hand rest on his stomach. “No,” he said, still chuckling, “I am simply a guard for the family. My name is Edward Tonks. You can call me Ted if you’d prefer, but for most people Tonks is easier to remember. The odd names always are. I was sent to fetch you so that the Duchess might enjoy a quiet dawn before the emotional turmoil to come.” He paused, as if exasperated by his own words.

    “Has Narcissa's insomnia proven to be this difficult?” Lily questioned, trying her best not to sound invasive.

    Ted scoffed, leaning in to whisper, “If you ask me, the ‘insomnia’ isn’t real. I think it’s a ruse for something bigger. But, hey! How could I tell? I’m merely a guardsman, I’ve never spoken to Narcissa directly. Maybe she really is having trouble. Bless her, if so. But I have a reliable inside source that tells me there’s reason for suspicion. However that, I’m afraid, is for another time. For now, I’ll show you to the entrance. There will be someone awaiting you there. And remember-” he looked at Lily with a look of playful false concern, “-if you see the Grim, point to the King.”

    Lily frowned as she followed Ted. She’d heard his phrase before. The Grim was an old tale exchanged between children to frighten each other on dark nights. It was a black dog, a death omen, supposedly sent to warn of your approaching end. While the Grim was as old as stories themselves, this phrase was relatively new. The House of Black was widely known to rule with a harsh hand. Villagers and citizens of the kingdom who felt wronged often said this phrase as an act of rebellion against the current king or queen when the ruling hands clutched too tightly. “If you see the Grim, point to the King” meant betrayal. It meant death.

    Lily couldn’t distinguish Ted’s tone. Was he not content with the Black family’s rule? Was he merely teasing to lighten her tense mood? She decided not to think about it. Not now. Not as they were opening the building’s door for her to enter. She’d focus on thinking later. Now she must focus on remembering to breathe.

-

“Have you...circled the building twice?”

“Did that an hour ago.”

“Fair enough. Have you...climbed to the roof?”

“I did that last night.”

“Fine. Then what are you looking to do?”

“I’m  _ looking _ for something amazing.”

“Ha! Good luck.”

Two young men sat in the grand library of the Royal Castle trying desperately not to die of sheer inactivity. They had risen before dawn, raking the shelves of the library to find something new. Of course, new stories didn’t simply appear out of the air, and they, unfortunately, were not content with the tired information of old. The pair were as sharp as they were adventurous, and they simply hated to stand still.

The taller of the two sent a false glare at the other. “Luck, Sirius, has nothing to do with anything. We need an adventure!”

Sirius sighed. “Yes, we do. But can we wait at least until nightfall? Mother already disapproves of you sneaking _ into  _ the building, let alone you and me sneaking  _ out _ .”

“Alright,” his friend replied, “that is fair, I agree. We’ll go at night. Somewhere new, I hope?”

“No idea. We’ll make it up when the time comes.”

“Excellent.”

Standing up, the tall man ran a hand through his dark and wild hair. With one look of bottled excitement he turned to Sirius. “I am going to starve if I don't steal some food soon.”

Laughing, Sirius agreed, “Make sure to do it before my parents see you.”

“Will do.”

“James!” Sirius called as his friend went through the library’s doorway, “Bring something back for me!”

James chuckled as he rounded the hallway’s corner, swinging his arms as he merrily skipped down the long staircase and into a second corridor leading to the main entrance hall’s grand stairs. He was contemplating what fruits he should take from the kitchens when he heard faint talking floating through the air. He inched closer to the grand stairs, trying to decide if these voices were worth avoiding. He could hear someone talking, someone familiar. He allowed himself one look at the voices’ owners, and he glimpsed a sight that was quite unusual. Bellatrix Black, Sirius’ cousin, stood at the building’s entrance. This in itself wasn’t strange, but her conversation partner was. Beside Bellatrix was what James could only describe as a living embodiment of fiery embers. Red hair cascaded over a face dotted with freckles, or maybe they were stars forming into constellations across a bright face, James couldn’t distinguish a difference. Whoever they were, they were tense, and, by the looks of it, Bellatrix didn’t exactly enjoy their conversation. James watched as this sky on fire clutched a ragged, purple bag tightly and followed Bellatrix down a dark corridor near the base of the stairs.

James’ interest overcame his hunger, and he dashed back down hallway, up the stairs, and into the library. Panting, he held up a hand to quiet a confused and questioning Sirius.

“I’ve found an adventure that we can’t pass up.”

“And you say I’m dramatic,” Sirius answered, trying to hide the look of interest forming on his face, “What happened?”

“There’s a visitor, and they’re definitely not royal family material.” James was beaming, having long given up trying to hide his excitement. He was still panting, more from adrenaline than the movement.

“And?”

“And that could be our ticket to our next adventure! We should follow them, see why on this humble Earth they were invited to be in royal company!” James was practically jumping up and down, a look of eagerness glued to his face.

“You know,” Sirius said, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, “this might just be the best beginning we could have asked for. We’ll need darker clothes. You steal some food and water from the kitchens, I’ll find a bag to hide the wands. We’ll keep eyes and ears open, see if we can get any information before we leave. When the sky is orange, we’ll set out.”

James’ smile grew impossibly wider. “And remember,” he started “if you see the Grim…”

Sirius raised his eyebrows with a grin, “...point to the King.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 chapters in 2 days? How unusual! I finished this chapter quickly simply because I was excited to write it. I hope you enjoyed the many introductions in this chapter, and, as usual, you can contact me here or on my tumblr @reremus! I hope you enjoyed part 3!


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